cut(1) - NetBSD Manual Pages

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CUT(1)                  NetBSD General Commands Manual                  CUT(1)


NAME

     cut -- select portions of each line of a file


SYNOPSIS

     cut -b list [-n] [file ...]
     cut -c list [file ...]
     cut -f list [-d delim] [-s] [file ...]


DESCRIPTION

     The cut utility selects portions of each line (as specified by list) from
     each file and writes them to the standard output.  If the file argument
     is a single dash (`-') or no file arguments were specified, lines are
     read from the standard input.  The items specified by list can be in
     terms of column position or in terms of fields delimited by a special
     character.  Column numbering starts from 1.

     List is a comma or whitespace separated set of increasing numbers and/or
     number ranges.  Number ranges consist of a number, a dash (-), and a sec-
     ond number and select the fields or columns from the first number to the
     second, inclusive.  Numbers or number ranges may be preceded by a dash,
     which selects all fields or columns from 1 to the first number.  Numbers
     or number ranges may be followed by a dash, which selects all fields or
     columns from the last number to the end of the line.  Numbers and number
     ranges may be repeated, overlapping, and in any order.  It is not an
     error to select fields or columns not present in the input line.

     The options are as follows:

     -b list     The list specifies byte positions.

     -c list     The list specifies character positions.

     -d string   Use the first character of string as the field delimiter
                 character.  The default is the <TAB> character.

     -f list     The list specifies fields, separated by the field delimiter
                 character.  The selected fields are output, separated by the
                 field delimiter character.

     -n          Do not split multi-byte characters.

     -s          Suppresses lines with no field delimiter characters.  Unless
                 specified, lines with no delimiters are passed through unmod-
                 ified.


EXIT STATUS

     cut exits 0 on success, 1 if an error occurred.


SEE ALSO

     paste(1)


STANDARDS

     The cut utility conforms to IEEE Std 1003.2-1992 (``POSIX.2'').

NetBSD 5.2.2                   December 21, 2008                  NetBSD 5.2.2